Vietnam, Finland step up science-technology-innovation cooperation

Scene at the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in science, technology, and innovation in Hanoi on October 16. The signing ceremony took place as part of an ongoing visit to Vietnam by Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintila and a business delegation. Speaking at the event, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said that joint work in these areas is key to turning the cooperation potential and opportunities between the two countries into reality, especially as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement will soon be signed and take effect, bringing practical benefits to Vietnamese and Finnish businesses and enterprises. The European Union, of which Finland is a member, is the biggest non-refundable aid provider of Vietnam in recent years, he said, noting that the Vietnam-Finland Innovation Partnership Programme (IPP) has helped Vietnam boost its innovation capacity, build a healthy startup ecosystem, grow its economy, and improve its ranking on the global innovation and competitiveness index. The minister highlighted that the freshly signed MoU is an outcome of bilateral efforts to open a new cooperation chapter and capitalise on the two countries’ strengths to benefit their science-technology bodies, research institutes, universities, enterprises, and people. The deal offers a chance for both sides to take part in technology transfer projects, join research programmes, and boost the commercialisation of their research outcomes based on win-win principles. Finnish Minister… [Read full story]